Hare And Hounds Kings Heath X The Plough Harborne

Posted On November 8, 2024

What Every Aspiring Pub Owner Should Know: Insights From Adam & Adam

Cover photo for Birmingham food podcasts episode with the owners of The Hare and Hounds Kings Heath & The Plough Harborne

Welcome To Breaking Bread The Plough & The Hare & Hounds

In this episode, Adam Regan and Adam Johnson share the evolution of their pubs—the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath and the Plough Harborne—in Birmingham’s nightlife, its hospitality scene and their new collab.

Who Are Adam Johnson & Adam Regan?

You can almost smell the grit and determination wafting through Birmingham’s Digbeth district, much like a slow-cooked stew left to bubble for hours until it’s rich and ready. The story of Adam Regan and Adam Johnson—two names etched into the soul of Birmingham’s nightlife and hospitality scene—isn’t just about opening bars or booking bands. It’s about grinding through years of obstacles, rolling with punches, and finding beauty in the mess of it all.

Regan, the mastermind behind Hare & Hounds Kings Heath, and Johnson, the visionary behind The Plough in Harborne, have been through it all. Their story starts in the early days, back when Digbeth was a ghost town for the creatively inclined. And then, like a flash of neon in the dark, Medicine Bar was born. It wasn’t just a bar; it was a magnet for people craving something real, something gritty and raw. That was the moment that sparked Digbeth’s transformation into the underground, alternative heartbeat of Birmingham.

They began as rivals—two dreamers with a taste for music, the pulse of nightlife, and an undeniable urge to make people feel something in their venues. But rivals can only clash for so long when they’re driven by the same fire. Over time, they recognised a reflection of themselves in each other, and a friendship began to bloom in the cracks of old competition.

They went on to shape Birmingham with bars, record shops, and restaurants—spaces with a soul, places where good music, great drinks, and even better conversations linger in the air. It’s easy to say they’re just bar owners or just “hospitality people,” but that would be missing the point entirely. These guys are builders, architects of a social landscape that welcomes you in like a lifelong friend you’ve never met.

The Struggles Of Running Venues Like The Hare & Hounds & The Plough

But it hasn’t been all drinks and dancing. With the ever-rising costs and regulatory pressures bearing down on independent venues, it takes grit, creativity, and sheer will to keep the doors open. Regan and Johnson talk about these challenges with the kind of honesty that’s rare in an industry obsessed with “the vibe.” They’ve faced down obstacles that could break a lot of people, but for them, it’s just part of the job.

Their latest collaboration is a fresh chapter: a project that aims to blend high-quality food from The Plough, with the grit and charm of Birmingham’s greatest music venue, The Hare and Hounds. It’s their way of saying, “This isn’t just about profits; it’s about people, about experience.” They’re crafting a space where music, food, and atmosphere hit you all at once.

Adam Regan and Adam Johnson aren’t just shaping venues; they’re curating experiences that feel like home. This is what Birmingham’s nightlife and hospitality scene is all about. Not the glamorous, over-the-top clubs, but the kind of places that make you feel alive, where strangers become mates, and where you find yourself lost in conversation, feeling as much a part of the place as the walls themselves.